Railway-rail joint.



Patented Oct. 9, |900.

B'. G. BRAINE.

RAILWAY RAIL JOINT.

(Application filed Nov."1, 1'898.. Ren'ewad Mar. 10, 1900.) (No M-odel.)

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UNITED 'STATES PATENT VF'F'IC.'

BANCROFT e.. BRAINE, voF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY-RAIL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,387, dated October 9, Application filed November l, 1898. Renewed MarchI 10, 1900. Serial No. 8,227. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern: v

Be it known that I, BANoRoFT G.- BRAINE, a citizen of theA United States, `residing at New York,county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Rail Joints, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The object of this invention is generally to provide an improved joint for the abutting ends of railway Y- rails, and especially to improve the construction of joints of that class in which the joint-plates are formed with bearing portions or faces to bear against and Wedge between the under side of the head of the rail and the upper side of the base-fiange of the rail and have doubled base portions extending beyond and then inwardly beneath the base-flange of the rail, so as to bear against the bottom of the rail-flange as well as against I have aimed to improve the construction of joints of this class by providinga j oint-plate of greater strength, durability, and stiffness for the weight of metal employed than has heretofore been produced.

A As a full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description in connection with drawings showing constructions embodying'the various features thereof in the preferred form, such a description will now be given in connection with the` accompanying drawings, andthe features forming the invention will afterward be specifically pointed out inthe claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one side of the rail-joint shown in section in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 isa similar section of a joint formed with a joint-plate on one side of the rail of a modified construction and showas shown .in Fig. 5 and joined by means of the joint shown in Fig. 4;. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a built-up rail formed of a rail proper and au auxiliary vehicle Iiange rail secured thereto.

Referring to the drawings, and rst to Figs. l and 2, A represents a com mou forni of T- rail, of which a is the head, a the base-flange, and a2 the web.

B B are the joint-plates by which the abutging ends of the rail-sections are secured together. Each of theplates B Bis formed with a vertical web portion h, bearing-face b to engage the inclined under face of the head of the rail, bearing-face b2 to engage the inclined upper face of the flange aof the rail, and with a doubled base portion b3, which extends beyond and then inwardly beneath the railflange a to form a bearing-face b4 to engage the under side of the rail-flange. The jointplates are proportioned according to the size and form of the rails to be joined, so that the various bearing-faces of the joint-plates will bear against the corresponding parts of the rails when the joint-plates are forced toward each other on opposite sides of the rail, preferably, as shown, by bolts l0 passing through the web ofthe rail and the webs b of the jointplates. The plates are also formed to allow wear on the bearing-faces to be taken up by forcing the plates farther together or toward the rail-web. As thus far described the jointplates are similar to joint-plates which have been heretofore used in joints of the class before referred to. l

In such joint-plates as heretofore made a `proportiomately-large part of the metal is in the doubled base portions of the joint-plate,

and the web portions of the plate, in which the bolt-'holes are formed, are consequently subjected to great strains in supporting the rail ends during the passage of trains. I have aimed in my improvement to obtain a more efficient distribution of metal, producing a plate better adapted to withstand the strains to which it is subjected; both without fracture and with a minimum deiiection, and in which the web portion of the plate will not be subjected to so great strains as heretofore, and, further, to obtain such adistribution of the metal` as to avoid warping in cooling and that the development of internal strains in IOO cooling will be largely if not wholly avoided, thereby adding to the strength and stiffness of the joint, and to secure these results without introducing any objectionable features into the plate. For this purpose I form the joint-plates with a top flange b5, extending outward horizontally from the upper portion of the web portion b, and in order not to interfere with the wheel-flanges the top flange b5 is preferably formed with its upper face below the upper extremity of the vertical portion of the plate to provide sufficient clearance-space between the top of the rail and said flange for the wheel-flange and to allow for wear of the rail and tread of the wheel.

It is only necessary to have the top flange b5 of the joint-plate for the inside of the rail formed with its upper face below the upper extremity of the vertical portion Z) of the joint-plate to provide clearance-space for the wheel flange; but I prefer to use the same form of joint-plate on both sides of the rail, as shown in Fig. 2,as I secure a sufficientlygood re'sult from the flange b5 in this position and avoid the increased cost of using two forms of joint-plates. I may, however, use on the outside of the rail a joint-plate in which the upper face of the flange b5 is not below the upper extremity of the vertical portion of the plate, as shown on the righthand side of the rail in Fig. 3, in which the flange 115 is positioned so that its upper face extends horizontally outward from the upper extremity of the vertical portion of the plate l). It should be observed, however, in this case that the upper face ot' the ange if should not extend above the upper bear ing-face b of thejoint-plate fora distance outward therefrom at least suilcient so that there can be no interference with the inward movement of the plate in taking up wear on the bearing-faces of the plate and the rail. In some cases where the head of the rail is of sufficient depth relatively to the flange of the car-wheels it may be found feasible to employ for both sides of the rail joint-plates of the form shown 011 the right-hand side of Fig. 3.

1t will be seen that'in addition to the advantages above pointed out I provide a jointplate of the class above referred to having a doubled base portion of a form which enables the distribution of metal with relation to the neutral axis to be readily varied according to the metal employed and the conditions to be met, as by merel)7 extending or shortening the top flange.

Fig. 5 shows a section of a T-rail provided with a common form of auxiliary guard-rail C, which is secured to the rail proper by bolts passed through the web a2 of the rail and through a lower vertical portion or web of the guard-rail. When guard-rails of this kind are employed, difficulty has heretofore been experienced in the use of rail joint-plates of the class hereinbefore referred to or of other jointplates having portions extending between the head and base-flange of the rail. I avoid this difficulty by using on the inside or guard-rail side of the rail joint-plates having an upwardly-extending guard-flange or guard-rail section adapted to extend between the sections of and take the place of the regular guard-rail of the joint, the regular guard-rails being cnt away or made of a length to end at such a distance from the abutting ends of the sections of the rail proper as to leave a space between the ends of the guard-rail. sections to receive and be filled by the joint-plate and its section of' guard-rail.

Fig. 4 shows in section a joint having a joint-plate of the preferred form for use with a guard-rail in this manner. As here shown, the joint-plate B for the inside of the rail is formed with a guard-flange or guard-rail portion C', formed by providing an upward extension to the top flange b5, so as to form a flange extending outwardly and then upwardly from the upper portion of the vertical portion b of the joint-plate, the upper face of the horizontal portion of the .flange being preferably below the upper extremity of the vertical portion b of the joint-plate sufficiently to give clearance-space for the wheel-flanges. This outwardly and upwardly extending flange is thus adapted to form a portion of the guardrail between the ends of adjacent sections of the regular guard-rail in addition to performing the office of the flange b5. Fig. 6 shows in inside side elevation the abutting ends of sections of a rail provided with a guard flange such shown in Fig. 5 and with IOO theirends joined by a joint-plate formed with a guard-rail section, as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 shows a common form of built-up street-railway rail formed from a T-rail provided with an auxiliary vehicle flange-rail D, secured to the inside side thereof. With auxiliary vehicle flangerails of this kind the same difficulty has been experienced in the use of joint-plates as with the auxiliary guard-rails before referred to. I avoid this difficulty by making the top flange of the joint-plate for the inside of the rail of a form to correspond with the flange of the auxiliary rail, so as to form a vehicle-flange adapted to extend between the sections of and take the place of the flange of the auxiliary vehicle flange-rail at the joint, the sections of the auxiliary rail being of a length to end at such a distance from the abutting ends of the sections of theI rail proper as to leave a space between the ends of the auxiliary rail-sections to receive and be filled by the joint-plate and its flange.

Referring again to Fig. 4, such a joint-plate of the preferred form is formed by providing the joint-plate B', as indicated in dotted lines, with a top flange formed to correspond with the vehicle-flange of the auxiliary rail, as shown in Fig. 7, in place of the guard-flange shown in full lines.

l. A railway-rail-joint plate comprising a vertical web portion to extend between the head and base-flange of the rail, a doubled base portion extending outward and then inwardly to embrace the base-fiange of the rail, and an' outwardly-extending strengthening top liange of a width from the inner side of the jointplate substantially equal to the depth of the rail-flange-receiving slot of the doubled base portion and the upper face of which top flange is below the upper extremity of the vertical portion to provide clearance-space for the wheel-danges, and said joint-plate having bearing-faces to engage the under face of the head of the rail, the upper face of the base-flange of the rail, and the under face of the base-ange of the rail, substantially as described.

2. A railway-rail-joint plate comprising a vertical web portion to extend between the head and the base-flange of the rail, a doubled base portion extending outward and then inwardly to embrace the base-ange of the rail, and an outwardly-extending strengthening top iiange of a width from the inner side of the joint plate substantially equal to the depth of the rail-fiange-receiving slot of the doubled base portion and said j oint-plate having bearingfaces to engage the under face of the head of the rail, the upper face of the base-iiange of the rail, and the under face of the base-iiange of the rail, substantially as described.

3. A railway-rail-joint plate. comprising a vertical web portion to extend between the head and base-flange of the rail, a doubled base portion extending outward and then inwardly to embrace the base-flange of the rail, and an outwardly-extending strengthening top flange of a width from the inner side of the joint-plate substantially equal to the depth of the rail-ange-receiving slot of the doubled base portion having an upward extension to form a guard-flange O', and said j oint-plate having bearing-faces to engage the under face of the head of the rail, the upper face of the base-flange of the rail, and the under face of the base-flange of the rail, substantially as described.`

4. In a railway-rail joint, the combination with adjacent rail-sections, of a joint-plate overlapping the abutting ends of the rail-sections comprising'a vertical web portion extending between the head and base-ange of the rail, a doubled base portion extending outward beyond andthen inwardly beneath the base-flange of the rail, and an outwardlyextending strengthening top ange of a width from the inner side of the joint-plate substantially equal to the depth of the rail-ange-receiving slot of the doubled base portion, and said joint-plate having bearing-faces engaging the under face of the head of the rail, the

Aupper face of the baseange of the rail, and

the under face of the base-flange of the rail, substantially as described.

5. A railway-rail joint comprising jointplates on opposite sides of the rail overlapping the abutting ends of adjacent rail-sections, and means for forcing said plates toward each other, said plates comprising each a vertical web portion extending between the head andthe base-ange of the rail, a doubled base portion extending outward beyond and then inwardly beneath the base-flange of the rail, and an outwardly-extending strengthening top flange of a width from the inner side of the joint-plate substantially equal to the depth of the rail-flange-receiving slot of the doubled base portion, and having bearingfaces to engage the under face of the head of the rail, the -upper face of the base-ange of the rail, and the under face of the base-flange of the rail, substantially as described.

6. A railway-rail joint comprising jointplates on opposite sides of the rail overlap'- ping the abutting ends of adjacent rail-sections, and means for forcing said plates toward each other, said plates comprising each a vertical web portion extending between the head and the base-flange of the rail, a doubled base portion extending outward beyond and then inwardly beneath the base-ange of the rail, and having bearing-faces to engage the under face of the head of'the rail, the upper face of the base-flange of the rail, and the under face of the base-flange of the rail, and having an outwardly-extending strengthening top flange ot' a width from the inner side of the joint-plate substantially equal to the depth of the rail-lange-receiving slot of the doubled base portion the upper face of the top Iiange of the inside plate being below the upper extremity of the Vertical portion of the plate to provide clearance-space for the Wheel-flanges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BANCROFT G. BRAINE.

' Witnesses: l

A. L. KENT, A. V. BOURKE. 

